{"id":2279,"date":"2016-05-07T09:30:33","date_gmt":"2016-05-07T09:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/themes.muffingroup.com\/betheme\/?p=2279"},"modified":"2024-02-22T12:49:16","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T17:49:16","slug":"6-2","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.poac.net\/blog\/6-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Thank You Autism for These Gifts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For\u00a0Those Whose Lives Have Been Touched\u00a0By Autism<\/strong><\/h2>\n

by Gary Weitzen<\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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My world changed forever on the day\u00a0my beautiful son Christopher was born. It changed again–and just as rapidly–three years later when he was diagnosed with autism. After looking back at\u00a0the last\u00a020 plus years of being a father, all I have to say is\u00a0three simple words: “Thank You Autism.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

I want to publicly thank autism for being a part of my life.–for the adventures, for the\u00a0unique perspective on life, and most of all for the\u00a0unexpected gifts you have given me. No matter what highs or lows any of us go\u00a0through, it’s crucial\u00a0that we all give thanks for the elements in our lives that make life worth living– for the things that push us to be better, to rise up to meet the difficulties ahead of us, even when there is no light visible at the end of the tunnel.<\/p>\n

Now let me be very clear; if I could wave a magic wand and remove most of the challenges and all of the anxiety my son deals with every day because of autism, I would do so in a second. With that said, my son Christopher is the joy of my life and he continually shows me how to be a better man. In many ways, I think autism brings out the complete love, compassion, and understanding in all of us affected by its life-changing influence.<\/p>\n

We as parents are supposed to be the ones teaching our children, leading by example and showing them what it means to be a good person, helping them every day to grow into the best them- that they are able to be. \u00a0Sure, I work hard for my son and I do consider myself to be\u00a0a good dad- but there is no way, no how I could ever hope to teach or give my son more than he has given me. \u00a0 My child has made me a better man, a better human being\u00a0than I could ever possibly\u00a0dream of being otherwise. He does not have a prejudice\u00a0bone in his body; my son\u00a0loves with a \u00a0purity and a simple joy that\u00a0just flows from him. \u00a0So what are the gifts Autism has given me? \u00a0Here is just my short list- feel free to add to it.<\/p>\n

Here Are Just a Few of the Countless Gifts Autism Has Given Me:<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
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  • Autism has taught me to see prejudice and rise above it.<\/li>\n
  • Autism has enabled\u00a0me to never to give up–to know that\u00a0amazing things can be accomplished with dedication, perseverance and hard work.<\/li>\n
  • Autism has allowed me to\u00a0witness so many miracles–from my son’s\u00a0first word to walking confidently with his classmates in his\u00a0high school graduation.<\/li>\n
  • Autism has made me overjoyed\u00a0for every “first” that my child has accomplished (and continues to accomplish).<\/li>\n
  • Autism has taught me not to sweat the small stuff, giving me an entirely new perspective on life that I wouldn’t trade for the world.<\/li>\n
  • Autism has given me you<\/em>: my friends- no my family. If you can understand\u00a0and relate to the things I’ve talked about here, you are all part of my\u00a0family.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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    Thank you for taking this journey with me. Together we can work miracles. \u00a0Thank you and God bless.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Gary Weitzen (aka Christopher’s dad)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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    Gary Weitzen<\/h3>\n

    POAC Executive Director<\/p>\n

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    Gary Weitzen, the Executive Director of POAC Autism Services, also holds a certified law enforcement instructor title in New Jersey and has 20 years of experience in risk management. Besides managing POAC, he’s spent 15 years teaching life skills to adults with autism. A notable autism advocate, Gary has been featured in major media networks and has a son with autism, Christopher.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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